Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the GERMAN NAVY --

SMS Olga (Corvette, later Training Ship, 1881-1906)

Olga, a 2424-ton Carola class corvette, was built
at Stettin, Germany. Commissioned in September 1881, she served
overseas during the rest of the decade. On 15-16 March 1889, while
stationed in the Pacific, she was damaged and forced aground by
the great
hurricane that struck the harbor at Apia, Samoa. Olga
returned to Germany after that tragic storm and was soon extensively
modified for use as a training ship. She continued in that role
into the early years of the Twentieth Century. SMS Olga
was sold in March 1906 and scrapped two years later.

This page features all the views we have related to the
German corvette and training ship Olga.

The original print was mounted in an Office of Naval Intelligence
register.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 125KB; 555 x 765 pixels

Photo #: NH 64255

SMS Olga (German Corvette, 1881)

Photographed circa 1902, after she had been converted to a training
ship.

The original print was received from the Office of Naval Intelligence
in 1935.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 525 pixels

Photo #: NH 42291

German Corvette Olga

Beached on the eastern side of Apia Harbor, Upolu, Samoa, soon
after the storm.
View looks to the southwestward, with the wrecks of USS Trenton
and USS Vandalia in the left background.
Note Olga's damaged bow. Her funnels and fore and main
topmasts are in lowered positions.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 485 pixels

Photo #: NH 42285

German Corvette Olga

Beached on the eastern side of Apia Harbor, Upolu, Samoa, soon
after the storm.
View looks to the northward.
Note her damaged bow, crew's laundry drying in the rigging, and
lowered fore and main topmasts.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 105KB; 740 x 585 pixels

Photo #: NH 42289

Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889

Wrecked ships in Apia Harbor, Upolu, Samoa, during salvage efforts
soon after the storm. The view looks about northward, with USS
Trenton and the sunken USS Vandalia to the left
and the beached German corvette Olga at right.
Wreckage just off Trenton's stern may be from the German
gunboat Eber, which was destroyed when she struck the
harbor reef during the hurricane.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 465 pixels

Photo #: NH 2150

Samoan Hurricane of 15-16 March 1889

Wrecked ships in Apia Harbor, Upolu, Samoa, soon after the storm.
The view looks about northward, with USS Trenton and the
sunken USS Vandalia at left, the German corvette Olga
beached in the center distance and USS Nipsic beached
in the right center.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 570 pixels

Photo #: NH 42130

Hurricane at Apia, Samoa, 15-16 March 1889

"The Olga beached"
Artwork by Rear Admiral Lewis A. Kimberly, contained in his personal
journal of the Apia Hurricane. It shows German corvette Olga
beached on the eastern side of Apia Harbor, following the storm.

"Views of the Trenton, Vandalia, Nipsic, & Olga looking
from the shore"
Artwork by Rear Admiral Lewis A. Kimberly, contained in his personal
journal of the Apia Hurricane. It shows USS Trenton at
left, with USS Vandalia sunk along side her. The stern
of USS Nipsic is at right, and the German corvette Olga
is beached in the distance.

"Plan of the harbor of Apia, with positions of the ships
before, and after the hurricane."
Chart drawn by Rear Admiral Lewis A. Kimberly, contained in his
personal journal of the Apia Hurricane.
The chart gives locations for the U.S. Navy ships Trenton,
Vandalia and Nipsic; German Navy ships Olga,
Adler and Eber; and the British Navy ship Calliope.